Apologies to all who have sent Digest items — I am camped out here at Ethicurean headquarters in a bit of a mental bunker, completely out of bandwidth given multiple projects with looming deadlines and furiously squeaking clients. I'm sorry that we're so behind on the news.

However I just have to take 5 minutes to point to a post Friend o'Ethicurean Tom Philpott has up on Gristmill today, about the final proposal Congress has finally cobbled together for the 2007 Farm Bill, months late. The USDA chair reports President Bush will veto it because of its lack of subsidy reform. In clear and neutral language, Tom lays out why many sustainable-agriculture advocates are willing to hold their noses and support a Bush veto, which would force Congress to extend the 2002 Farm Bill another two years and go back to the drawing board on its subsequent budget and contents, and why other groups are opposing throwing out this Frankensteinian baby with the bathwater.

An intelligent debate has been launched in the comments section, which I wish I had the time (and brain cells) to add to. There's also a poll. So head on over there and put in your two cents — veto or no? Why not? You do have to register with Grist to post a comment, but it only takes 5 seconds.